Floodwaters envelop entire neighborhoods Wednesday, June 20, 2018, near downtown Weslaco, Texas. A man wades through floodwaters Wednesday, June 20, 2018, along Texas Avenue in Weslaco, Texas. A sub-tropical system moved inland from the Gulf of Mexico overnight, causing catastrophic flooding in some areas of Cameron County. (Jason Hoekema/The Brownsville Herald via AP)

The Latest: Over 100 rescued from floods in Texas county

June 21, 2018 - 3:38 pm

The Associated Press

MCALLEN, Texas (AP) — The Latest on severe weather in parts of the U.S. (all times local):

2:30 p.m.

Officials in one county in far South Texas say that more than 100 people have been rescued from flooding there.

The Brownsville Herald reports that Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino said Thursday that he's been told that there were more than 100 rescues on Wednesday.

Trevino said that a shelter in Los Fresnos had about 25 people.

As of early Thursday afternoon, Trevino said the hardest hit areas in Cameron County included Harlingen, Rio Hondo and Los Fresnos.

He says, "Thankfully, there has been no loss of life."

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11:50 a.m.

Officials in far South Texas are distributing sandbags and rescuing residents from floodwaters as rain continues to fall after series of thunderstorms have hammered the area over the last several days.

National Weather Service meteorologist Tim Speece said Thursday morning that the rain was expected to continue throughout the day before moving out by Friday.

Department of Public Safety Lt. Johnny Hernandez tells KRGV television station that more than 15 people had to be rescued Wednesday from one flooded neighborhood in Mercedes, in far south Texas.

Storms that have moved across the Texas coastal region this week have also brought heavy rains to areas that less than a year ago were hit by flooding from Hurricane Harvey, including the Beaumont-Port Arthur area, east of Houston.

This item has been corrected to reflect that Speece spoke Thursday, instead of Wednesday.

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7 a.m.

Forecasters say much of the central and southeast U.S. will be at risk of severe storms as the weekend approaches.

The national Storm Prediction Center says two regions will be at most risk of strong to severe thunderstorms Friday. They include an area that encompasses parts of western Oklahoma, western Kansas and eastern Colorado.

Also Friday, storms could be severe in the Deep South, especially in parts of southern Arkansas; northern Louisiana; northern Mississippi, northern Alabama; and parts of Tennessee.

Forecasters say high winds and hail will be the primary threats, though some tornadoes will also be possible.

On Saturday, there's a threat of severe storms in parts of Oklahoma, Missouri and Arkansas that includes the cities of Oklahoma City; Tulsa, Oklahoma; and Springfield, Missouri.